Of Blood and Claws
by Thistlecloud
Summary: The Warrior Code is on the brink of destruction. Starclan is silent. And the clan cats are as thirsty for blood as they are for power. A young leader is desperate for revenge, an apprentice for freedom, a medicine cat for love, a father for his kits, and a clan for war. But with the Dark Forest rising again, victory may depend on the most experienced players...
1. Allegiances

**Shadowclan**

Leader: Jaggedstar – massive, battle-scarred black tom with yellow eyes

Deputy: Flamefoot - lean, dark amber tom with glowing green eyes

Apprentice: Ravenpaw

Medicine cat: Brindlestripe – old, plump dark tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Apprentice: Fawnpaw

 **Warriors**

Wolfheart – long-legged grey tom with a white belly and amber eyes

Silverblossom – long-haired silver tabby she-cat with icy blue eyes

Darkwhisker – sleek dark brown tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentice: Frostpaw

Appleleaf – tiny mottled black and brown she-cat with one amber eye and one golden eye.

Quickbird – small white tom with blue eyes

Brightcloud – calico she-cat with a white belly and green eyes

Apprentice: Olivepaw

Thornpelt – long-haired light brown tabby tom with green eyes

Brokenclaw – huge ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Goldenfur – stunning golden she-cat with green eyes

Stormshade – dark grey tom with a white belly and dark amber eyes

Apprentice: Flintpaw

Doveclaw – light grey she-cat with blue eyes

Waspfang – golden tabby tom with green eyes

Snakestripe – Black tom with yellow eyes

Apprentice: Moonpaw

Crowflower – black she-cat with blue eyes

 **Apprentices**

Ravenpaw – black she-cat with a white dash on chest and amber eyes

Flintpaw – black and white tom with yellow eyes

Olivepaw – Brown and white she-cat with green eyes

Frostpaw – big white tom with blue eyes

Moonpaw – long-haired silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Fawnpaw – tiny light brown she-cat with amber eyes

 **Queens**

Nightbriar – sleek black she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Thornpelt's kits, Tawnykit, Badgerkit and Finchkit)

Lilywhisper – brown tabby she-cat with a white belly and green eyes (expecting Flamefoot's kits)

Crookedflower – brown grey she-cat with amber eyes (expecting Snakestripe's kits)

 **Kits**

Tawnykit – dark calico she-cat with amber eyes

Badgerkit – black and white tom with yellow eyes

Finchkit – small brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **Elders**

Spiderclaw – skinny black tom with yellow eyes

Sootmask – dark grey tom with amber eyes

Mothleaf – light grey she-cat with blue eyes

Cinderstream – grey and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Leafwillow – dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **Riverclan**

Leader: Willowstar – light grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Rosepaw

Deputy: Icehawk – huge white tom with yellow eyes

Medicine cat: Cloverberry – dark brown she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Warriors**

Oakfall – large brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Finchwhisker – small light brown tom with yellow eyes

Hollystripe – dark grey she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentice: Troutpaw

Mistypool – silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Piketail – big golden tabby tom with green eyes

Otterfoot – sleek black tom with yellow eyes

Webwhisker – light brown tabby tom with a white belly and green eyes

Reedflower – black and white she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Foxpaw

Fleetheart – small white and grey tom with green eyes

Apprentice: Stonepaw

Ripplewing – sleek grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 **Apprentices**

Foxpaw – huge dark ginger tom with green eyes

Troutpaw – quick grey tabby tom with amber eyes

Rosepaw – light red tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Stonepaw – muscular dark grey tom with yellow eyes

 **Queens**

Skyheart – dark grey and white she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Otterfoot's kits, Flowerkit and Vinekit)

Fernsplash – light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (expecting Webwhisker's kits)

 **Kits**

Flowerkit – light brown tabby she-cat with a white belly and green eyes

Vinekit – dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

 **Elders**

Mossyclaw – plump dark brown she-cat with yellow eyes

Longstep – sliver tabby tom with blue eyes

Redwing – small ginger she-cat with a white belly and green eyes

 **Windclan**

Leader: Sandstar – pale ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy: Runningcloud – brown and white tabby tom with green eyes

Medicine cat: Eaglefeather – large black and white tom with amber eyes

Apprentice: Littleclaw – small grey and white tom with green eyes

 **Warriors**

Tansywhisper – dark brown she-cat with a white belly and amber eyes

Apprentice: Weaselpaw

Thornshade – long-haired dark grey tom with yellow eyes

Apprentice: Petalpaw

Brindlefur – dark calico she-cat with amber eyes

Heathersplash – golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Buzzardpaw

Cinderscar – limping grey tom with yellow eyes

Thistleberry – brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deadheart – small black tom with yellow eyes

Apprentice: Rowanpaw

Grasswing – golden tabby tom with green eyes

Palefeather – light silver tabby tom with blue eyes

Harestripe – brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Lilybreeze – silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Brackenclaw – dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

 **Apprentices**

Buzzardpaw – large black tom with amber eyes

Weaselpaw – small ginger tom with green eyes

Rowanpaw – large dark brown tabby tom with a white belly and green eyes

Petalpaw – pale golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 **Queens**

Speckleberry – grey dappled she-cat with green eyes (expecting Harestripe's kits)

 **Elders**

Featherlight – small grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Darkfall – black tom with golden eyes

 **Thunderclan**

Leader: Robinstar – small brown tabby tom with a white belly and amber eyes

Deputy: Nightfeather – black she-cat with amber eyes

Medicine cat: Cedarstorm – light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

 **Warriors**

Onebird – small ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Clawfeather – patch-pelted brown tom with yellow eyes

Hailclaw – brown tom with amber eyes

Apprentice: Bramblepaw

Poppyfern – calico she-cat with amber eyes

Birchwing – black and white tom with green eyes

Weedfeather – light ginger tom with yellow eyes

Frostpelt – pure white tom with blue eyes

Tigerstripe – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice: Daisypaw

Mistyfur – light grey she-cat with blue eyes

Ratwhisker – brown tom with yellow eyes

Whitewillow - huge white tom with yellow eyes

Apprentice: Larkpaw

Owlpelt – brown and white tom with amber eyes

Rainfur – grey and white tabby tom with blue eyes

 **Apprentices**

Bramblepaw – big brown tabby tom with green eyes

Larkpaw – small light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and green eyes

Daisypaw – cream and white she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Queens**

Sweetflower – golden and white she-cat with green eyes (expecting Owlpelt's kits)

Petalshine – brown and white she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Clawfeather's kits, Raggedkit, Honeykit, Birdkit, and Emberkit)

 **Kits**

Raggedkit – dark tabby tom with yellow eyes

Honeykit – bright golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Birdkit – small black and white she-cat with blue eyes

Emberkit – black she-cat with amber eyes

 **Elders**

Vinefeather – dark grey tabby tom with green eyes

Duckwing – ginger and white tom with amber eyes

Blossompool – brown tabby she-cat with green eyes


	2. Prologue

The two apprentices crept thought the dark woods. The larger one, a black she-cat stopped to sniff the air and drop into a hunter's crouch.

"Ravenpaw, what are you doing?" asked the second apprentice, a pudgy calico she-cat with nursery soft fur.

Ravenpaw flicked her tail. "Hunting, of course. What else did you think we were going to do?"

The pudgy she-cat sat back on her hunches and eyed the forest with distrust. She hadn't wanted to sneak out of the camp and risk getting in trouble on her first night as an apprentice, but Ravenpaw had her mind bent on going, even if it was alone.

Ravenpaw shot her sister a dirty look, "Great Starclan, Olivepaw, you're breathing like a winded badger. Why are you so nervous? We'll get the prey, head back to camp, slip into our nests and be done with it. When morning comes and everyone wonders how all those juicy mice and voles found their way to the fresh kill piles, we shrug bashfully and say that we couldn't sleep and decided to do a little night hunting. Think of how impressed our mentor's will be."

Olivepaw sighed and shifted her paws. "Fine, but make it quick. The forest looked different at night and I don't like it." She lifted her nose to the sky and sniffed, "Do you smell that?"

"Please tell me that it's the scent of prey. You'd find more mice in Silverpelt than in these bushes."

"No, it smells like cats."

Ravenpaw rolled her eyes but flared her nostrils and inhaled. "Yeah that's cat sent alright, but its Shadowclan sent. A patrol probably came through here earlier today, mouse-heart. Don't be so jumpy."

Olivepaw sniffed again, her eyes wide, "Shadowclan scent isn't sickly or sweet. This smells like rot and dampness. Shadowclan doesn't smell like that."

Ravenpaw abandon the bush and strode away with her head in the air. "You couldn't smell a thunderpath from a river if your life depended it. Come on, we'll search closer to the Riverclan border. There's bound to be prey there."

"I-I-I really think we should head back."

"Do what you want. The only way I'm coming back to camp is with a warm bundle of fur in my mouth."

Olivepaw cringed. There her sister went again, on other dangerous, badger-headed, rule breaking adventure that was bound to get her killed. Why did Olivepaw feel like she had to protect her? Ravenpaw should be responsible enough to take care of herself, but the lean black apprentice had too much raw courage and not enough intelligence. Olivepaw had a great deal of intelligence, as she liked to tell herself, and not a lot of courage. Up until tonight, Olivepaw had though that she and her sister complemented each other perfectly, but now she was begin to understand that intelligence was worthless without the courage to apply it to a situation.

Ravenpaw looked back at the calico she-cat. "You coming or not?"

Meekly, Olivepaw dipped her head and followed her sister down the narrow game trail. It twisted though the woods like a wounded snake, zigzagging mercilessly and doubling back with no clear reason. _We don't even know the territory yet_ Olivepaw thought, panting with the effort of keeping up with her sister. They had viewed the boarders of Shadowclan territory that morning with their mentors, but the interior of those boarders still remained a mystery to the apprentices _. We shouldn't be here, not Ravenpaw and especially not me. I should go back, go back and tell Father what Ravenpaw is doing._

Ravenpaw stopped suddenly, pressing herself to the ground with her ears flat angst her head.

Olivepaw could smell her fear sent _. I've never seen her afraid before_ , She thought with an icy shock _I've never seen her afraid of anything at all._

"Ravenpaw," she asked, her voice strangely calm, "Ravenpaw, what did you see?"

Ravenpaw backed into her sister, every hair on her spine sticking in the air. "Th-that smell you were talking about earlier? The cat-scent?"

"Yes?" Olivepaw said.

Ravenpaw open her mouth to reply, but it turned into terror soaked meow when a huge, white shape stepped out in front of them.

"Good evening kitties. You better hope it won't be your last," he said, and then more shapes appeared from behind them, swift and shadow-like. Olivepaw felt claws on her shoulder and a great weight on her back, teeth digging into her scruff.

She caught a glimpse of Ravenpaw, her claws dripping with blood and slashing at anything that moved. _Ravenpaw, I really think we should have gone back to camp_ Olivepaw thought before something heavy slammed down on her head and the world turned to nothing.


	3. Chapter 1 - Willowstar

Willowstar

Willowstar tilted her head back to catch the heat of the morning sun on her face. Dawn had always been her favorite time of day, when the camp was just starting to stir. The night guards, Mistypool and Webwhisker, headed back to the warrior's den and Skyheart's kits mewed hungrily form the nursery. Her own apprentice, Rosepaw, stumbled out of the apprentices den and begin washing her ruffled fur in a pool of sunlight. Fleetheart and Reedflower shared a cold mouse by the fresh-kill pile, stopping every few minutes to nuzzle each other.

 _This is my clan no_ w, Willowstar thought, _my clan and my responsibility_. The realization of it still made her stomach flutter like a trapped bird. She was barley twelve seasons old, far younger than any of the other leaders, and she had only served as a deputy for six moons _. I should still be Willowshade, not Willowstar and my father should still be leader. Mouseflower should still be in the medicine cat den sorting herbs and Cloverberry should still be Cloverpaw._

She felt a growl rise in her throat and her claws dug into the moist ground _. But those things are gone. And it's all because of Shadowclan._

A high feline screech made her look up. In the far corner of camp, tucked under a huge old thorn bush, Jaggedstar's Shadowclan daughters had spent the night, watched by two guards. Now, I sounded as if they were starting to wake up.

Willowstar sighed. _I suppose I must tell them what's going on. It's a pity I have to restrain from ripping their throats out, but I'll make sure they die in the end._

There was a time when Willowstar be repulsed at the idea of killing innocent apprentices, barley more than kits, but Shadowclan seemed to have no trouble slaying the blameless.

Not a quarter of a moon ago, Shadowclan had laid claim to Riverclan's halfbridge, Riverclan's territory, Riverclan's hunting ground, Riverclan's by the right of Starclan. Willowstar's father – had her father really been alive only a quarter of a moon ago? – The leader, had tried to negotiate with Shadowclan, to end the dispute bloodlessly. But warriors don't negotiate with foxes or badgers or dogs, so why negotiate with Shadowclan when you were only likely to get your ears bitten off?

Well, Fallenstar didn't get his ears bitten off, but he did get mocked and threatened and spat at, which is pretty much the same thing. The Riverclan leader declared war.

The battle was a disaster. They were badly outnumbered, and the Shadowclan were as swift as shadows and as deadly as wildfire. Willowstar could still recall the screams of pain, the tang of fresh blood, the stench of fear. She saw Flamefoot, the foxhearted deputy of Shadowclan, saw him lung for her father's throat, heard herself screech as Fallenstar died in his jaws.

Then she was fighting again, slashing and clawing, ripping out chunks of Shadowclan fur, licking Shadowclan blood off her lips and then sinking her teeth in for more. _I will kill all of Shadowclan,_ she had thought, _and then they will understand what they have done._

But the horror was not over. From the Riverclan side of the halfbridge came another blood-chilling death scream. There was not supposed to be screaming from the Riverclan side. The battle was on the halfbridge, and in the pines on the Shadowclan side. The only cats on the Riverclan side were Mouseflower and Cloverpaw and their stash of herbs, waiting to help the injured cats.

Icy cold realization shot though Willowstar's chest. She turned tail and raced back toward her own territory, her paws fueled by fear. The screams faded to whimpers, but she busted though a clump of ferns with her claws extended.

Mouseflower lay dying, a red river painted from her throat to chest. Silverblossom, mate to Jaggedstar, stood over her, her white tabby tail flicking softly.

Willowstar knew much about the hauntingly beautiful she-cat, and none of it was good. It was said that Jaggedstar ruled Shadowclan, but Silverblossom ruled Jaggedstar. Her cruelty was often rumored, but scarcely believed. She could flirt and purr and joke, and she was widely adored, especially by the toms. But Willowstar never fell for her façade.

The she-fox had whelped a littler of demon spawn not five moons ago and Willowstar had expected her to be in the nursery, tending to her kits. But Silverblossom could never keep out of a battle, and she seemed liked her delicate white paws better when they were stained with blood. The innocent blood of a peaceful medicine cat, that is.

Willowstar had flown herself at the Shadowclan she-cat and fought to kill. Her paws sought a soft tabby throat, sought to feel the blood the flowed beneath the fur. She grappled for a chance to slice her belly, to open the vixen from chest to tail, like Scourge had done to Firestar in the legend.

 _I wish I could watch her die nine times_ Willowstar thought. What a pity this monster only had one life to lose.

But before Willowstar could kill her, three Shadowclan cats bust in, wailing with bloodlust. They would have torn her apart if not for the group of Riverclan cats that followed on their tails.

The battle quickly moved to the fern patch, over Mouseflower's body, the herbs that she had so carefully packed flying before the paws of the fighting cats.

Riverclan had lost that battle. But with under Willowstar's lead, they would win the war, and avenge the death of Fallenstar and Mouseflower, she would be sure of that. And when they won, she would see all of Shadowclan destroyed so that they may never again slay another cat.

"Willowstar? Are you alright? You're shaking."

Willowstar jerked out of her memories and opened her eyes. Her brother, Oakfall, stood before her, his amber eyes glowing with concern.

"Yes," she said. She _was_ trembling, now that she noticed it. She wrapped her tail around her paws and tried to regain her composure, "How are our prisoners?"

Oakfall's shoulder tensioned. "Awake, scared and extra angry. I really think we should send them back to Shadowclan. There just kits Willowstar, they don't deserve this. I'd bet every mouse in the world that they're not even six moons old yet."

Willowstar sighed. "I have no doubt that they are blameless, but their own mother slayed our medicine cat. Our _medicine cat._ Silverblossom killed Mouseflower purely for spite, nothing else. If her daughters weren't so valuable, I'd kill them just to give the Shadowclan vixen a taste of her own medicine."

Oakfall growled softly. "You're grieving, I understand that. I am too. But please try to compose yourself. You hold the lives of every cat in clan on the tips of your claws. You have no room for error or spiteful moves."

Willowstar stood and begin making her way swiftly to the thorn bush were the Shadowclan apprentices were being held, Oakfall trotting along beside her. "You think I don't know that? I'm not mousebrained, mousebrain. This is why I made Icehawk deputy and not you. Now go join a patrol and make yourself useful for once."

His eyes sparkling with anger and hurt, Oakfall slinked away, his shoulders hunched.

 _I should not have said that, not in the way that I did._ Oakfall was not only her brother, he was her best friend, and his counsel was important, even if she didn't agree with it. Her tail drooped and she suddenly felt very old as she watched him walk away.

 _I'll make it up to him later she_ promised herself and walked to the thorn bush.

Otterfoot and Piketail were on guard and dipped their heads respectfully as approached them.

"If you're going to speak with the apprentices, we should probably accompany you, Willowstar. The black she-cat is madder than a fox in a fit." Otterfoot meowed his tail lashing.

Willowstar snorted, "They are two kits, untrained and barely out of the nursery. I think I should be fine."

Otterfoot nodded, but she could see the reluctance in his golden yellow eyes. _My clan doesn't trust me yet,_ Willowstar thought, _but they soon will. I will raise Riverclan up to greatness once again._

She slipped though the gap in the branches and the scent of blood hit her nostrils, overwhelming her. Red rain splattered the ground and the inner branched of the thorn tree.

The fat calico apprentice looked up when she saw Willowstar, her eyes wide and white-rimmed. The black she-cat whipped around, hissing. Willowstar had just enough time to see the little cuts on her mouth and chest, her sliced paws and ears.

Then the little shadow flew at the Willowstar, knocking her to the ground. _She's been trying to get out of the thorn bush. Great Starclan, I should have known something like this would happen._

Willowstar kicked the apprentice of off her, and the Shadowclan cat slammed into the ground with a huff. Before she could rise, Willowstar placed a paw on her throat, pinning her to the ground.

The calico starting wailing in the corner, "We're going to die! She's going to kill you, Ravenpaw! I told you, I told you not to fight and now she's going to rip your throat out! Oh, Starclan help us!"

"Be quiet," Willowstar growled, "keep your fur on and I'll tell you what going to happen."

The black she-cat, Ravenpaw, stared up at her with hate-filled amber eyes. _This one is a fighter at heart, and she has a warrior's muscles already. I'd hate to see what she could do with some training._ The calico shut her fat face soon enough though.

"Now," Willowstar said, "your precious mother killed my defenseless, non-threating medicine cat without reason or honor. You two deserve to die to pay for her crimes."

Ravenpaw screamed a battle cry and the calico yowled in fear.

"But, sadly, you two are valuable. Very valuable. With you as hostages, I will win back the Halfbridge and prevent anymore Shadowclan attacks on my innocent cats. If your clanmates try anything aggressive, I simply draw my claws across your throats."

Willowstar stepped off of Ravenpaw, who lay panting, bloody and furious on the ground.

"You are not to be harmed without reason, you will have enough food and water and herbs to make you comfortable, and you will live as hostages until you no longer have a use, and then I will kill you." The Riverclan leader nodded at the blood on Ravenpaw's pelt. "I will send Cloverberry to treat your wounds and move the both of you to an old fox den at the top of camp. It's clear you're not responsible enough to be under a thorn bush without slicing yourselves to pieces."


End file.
